If you’re one of those individuals who struggle to choose between modern k-cups or a traditional coffee machine, then the Cuisinart SS-20 may be just the solution you need. This dual-purpose coffee maker is designed to cater to the needs of even the most diverse families.
The Cuisinart SS-20 boasts a myriad of features that make it a great choice for coffee lovers. The single-serve function of this machine allows for the use of a wide range of different pods, with three different cup sizes and instant heat-up for a quick caffeine fix.
On the other hand, the 10-cup carafe offers a range of premium features such as adjustable coffee strength, programmability, automatic on/off, and brew pause. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg – this machine is packed with even more impressive features that we’ll delve into in this Cuisinart SS-20 review.
Cuisinart SS-20 Review – Noticeable Features At A Glance
Dual Purpose Machine: The coffee machine is both a traditional and a single-serve coffee machine.
Programmability: 24 hours programmability allows you to enjoy your coffee the first thing in the morning.
Customization: With plenty of customization options, including temperature, brewing strength, make your coffee just the way you want.
Self-cleaning mode: The machine cleans itself after each serve, thanks to its self-cleaning mode.
Filter: Has both paper filter and permanent gold filter option to choose from.
Compatibility: Compatible with any single-cup pods, including K-cups and Cuisinart HomeBarista.
Separate Water Reservoir: The machine has a different 40 oz water filter for the single-serve side.
What Are The Differences Between Cuisinart SS-20 And Keurig K-Duo Coffee Maker​
| Cuisinart SS-20 Coffee Maker | Keurig K-Duo Coffee Maker |
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| Carafe: It includes a single-serve brewer carafe that can brew up to 10 cups. | Carafe: This single-serve brewer includes a 12 cup glass carafe. |
| Drip Tray: Has a removable drip tray that suits even the tall travel mugs on the run. | Drip Tray: The drip tray beside the carafe is removable and fits an 8 inches travel mug. |
| Capacity: It is a 10 cup coffee maker that brews in three serving sizes(6, 8, & 10-ounce cups). | Capacity: Has a 60-ounce water reservoir capacity that brews in 6, 8, 10, or 12-cup carafe and a 6, 8, 10, or 12-ounce cup. |
| Settings: Three serving size modes, Ready Tone, Standard Brewing, Clock-based programmable brewing, bold, and auto cleaning. | Settings: Strong brew mode, Smart Start, Pause & Pour, Programmable auto carafe brew, Hard & Medium brewing modes. |
| Filter: Adds a reusable filter cup from Cuisinart’s HomeBarista for fresh ground coffee. | Filter: Fits a reusable coffee gold-tone mesh filter from Keurig(sold accessory). |
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What are the Key Features Of Cuisinart SS-20 10-Cup Coffeemaker
Design
The materials are the critical key to long durability and good thermal rotation. The Cuisinart ss 20 coffee maker uses materials that amplify both of these qualities. The front exterior is coated with a layer of stainless steel, while the other sides have ABS plastic housing. The interior is also made of ABS.
On the front exterior of the 10-cup carafe, you can see a tiny display with a few buttons and knobs. This same appearance has its successful predecessor, the Cuisinart ss20. The keys are well-built and clearly leveled.
Contrary, the single-serve part has only three buttons to select your coffee size. Both sides have their dedicated water reservoirs. And the water tank of the single-serve part is removable.
The right side has its water reservoir on the back. If you push the tiny hilt on the top of the single-serve part, the head will open up for k-cups.
At a glance, you may think different machines are attached. So, it requires quite a space on your countertop, measuring 10.75 x 11.73 x 15.93 inches. And, weights 16 pounds.
Functionality
Just as mentioned a few times, the Cuisinart SS-20 has both single-serve and traditional coffee machine features. So, obviously, it has plenty of functionalities. But, for single-serve, you can only choose cup sizes, including 6 oz, 8 oz, and 10 oz.
On the contrary, there are many premium features to enjoy with the carafe part – like brew strength adjustment, brew-pause for a quick cup, and auto-turn on/off features. But it doesn’t have a grinder like GB1.
The 24-hour programmability allows users to brew coffee automatically at a designated time. The auto-off is adjustable within 0-4 hours. And, you can program the brewer to make 1-12 cups at a time.
Ease of Cleaning
Cleaning is one of the most annoying tasks with kitchen appliances. Thankfully, the parts of this machine are removable. So, when giving a thorough cleaning, you can do it quite easily. Moreover, thanks to most of the plastic-made parts, you can rinse them in your sink without any worries.
The Cuisinart SS 20 coffee maker requires less frequent cleaning than usual coffee makers. But, it takes more time and effort to descale as you need to run the cleaning cycle for both parts separately. However, the auto-cleaning function is pretty helpful and keeps cleaning easy.
What Users Are Saying About Cuisinart SS-20 Coffeemaker
Cuisinart SS-20 is a recent unit of the Cuisinart Center Grind & Brew series. And, this SS series has several dual-purpose machines, which are pretty famous.
With its straightforward design, the Cuisinart ss20 coffee maker offers pretty excellent features for its user. Moreover, a robust combination of stainless steel casing and heavy-duty plastic makes it long-lasting.
The dual brewing system has separate brewing units and water reservoirs. So, the mechanism doesn’t need to strain itself. It leaves no chance to disappoint its users. Most of the parts are removable, so cleaning isn’t a big problem either.
The Cuisinart ss20 10-cup glass carafe is capable of keeping the coffee hot for 8 hours. And the single serve-part brews with pods of any manufacturer. It uses charcoal water filters for both sides.
As for the wrong part, there aren’t many flaws I can find. But still, some users find the design a little awkward, as pouring water is quite hard. And, the water tank will overflow with water if you are just a little careless.
FAQs About Cuisinart SS-20 Single-Serve Coffeemaker
Does the machine not have
My machine is spraying water when brewing with K-cups. Why is it?
Is the interior made of plastic near heating elements?
Final Verdict
Cuisinart SS-20 is a relatively new model. It offers both traditional and single-serve coffee machine choices to its users. Also, you are getting plenty of customization options to make your ideal cup of coffee.
But, the price of the machine is not low either. And, it’s reasonable as you are getting two appliances in one. Thanks to its rigid build, it can last for a long time. However, if you also like to have a grinder with your machine, then you can look for Cuisinart SS-GB1, which is similarly a great machine.
So, if you have doubts about whether a traditional coffee maker or single-serve coffee maker would be best, why don’t you enjoy both with Cuisinart ss20, that’s all for this Cuisinart SS-20 review.